Monday, September 29, 2014

Dennis Bowah Expelled From GGAA Board!


GGAA expelled Secretary Dennis Bowah - he bit too much than he can chew
It was inevitable that the route South Dakota member of the Grand Gedeh Association National Board of Directors, Dennis Bowah, took to disparage and defame the august body was perilous and self-destruct. Within less than ten hours of our speculation that Mr. Bowah may be expelled from the Board, the inevitable has happened – he was expelled from the Board during a mass meeting of the Board last night.

Impeccable and unimpeachable sources close to the Board have disclosed that 13 out of 16 chapters present at the meeting decided to expel the South Dakota board representative for his alleged insolence, disrespect, disparagement, effrontery, insulting and disgracing of members of the National Board of Directors of the GGAA.

The GGAA Board is the second highest decision-making body only next to the National Conference. With the decision to expel the man who has projected himself as the defacto Chairman of the Board, only the National Conference can alter the Board’s decision.

According to inside sources, 13 chapters represented at the meeting voted a resounding “yes” to kick Bowah out of the Board, two members were absent and one abstained. Board sources said “Dennis has been destroying the name of the Board for reasons best known to himself.”

Several Board members in the meeting argued, sources said, “Dennis comes to meeting using his mouth to disturb us in the meeting. He has never taken meeting minutes one day. All he does is to cause trouble in meeting. He needed to go to preserve the integrity of the National Board of Directors of the GGAA.”

Dennis’ trouble started when he embarked on a vicious campaign to impugn the reputation of his colleagues. He wrote emails, articles and spewed invectives and characterization of not only the Chairman of the Board, Mr. Joseph Dueh, who is currently visiting Africa, but also the entire Board, Board sources said. Mr. Dueh was said to have chaired last night teleconference from Ghana, West Africa.

GGAA National President Tilman Collins - Instigating Chapters leaders and subsevient Board members against the Board of Directors

Recently, the National President Tilman Collins was requested by the Board to make his financial report, something his administration was lagging since the National Convention. The administration reportedly submitted a report proverbially “without its suit and tie”.

North Dakota Board members Prince Jerue and Harrison Smith following a recent meeting informed the chapter that the Board requested Mr. Collins to submit bank statements to the Board to back up his report, but Mr. Collins is yet to respect and honor the decision and request of the Board.

“Dennis Bowah was instructed by the Board in our meeting to write the National President to provide the requested financial instruments, but Dennis refused to carry out our instruction,” one Board member said. “He is using his personal grudge against the Board Chairman to insult the rest of us.”

Several Board members I talked to have expressed their indignation at the manner and way Mr. Bowah has defamed their name as people who do not know what to do. “Mr. Bowah has portrayed the Board as a bunch of fools,” a female board member asserted.

In fact, Dennis Bowah, instead of writing the National Administration as mandated, he told President Collins that “the Board was dysfunctional”. As a result, Mr. Collins as shown gross insubordination to the Board by refusing to further deal with the representatives of the people of Grand Gedeh because, as he put it, “the Board is disarray and not functional”.

A Board member said, “Tilman is treading on slippery path. He must respect us as we respect him or else we will do what is within our means to do the people job.” Some Board members are said to be suggesting that Tilman be dealt with harshly to preserve the integrity of the Board.

But to date, the National President has yet submit the requested financial instruments to the Board, and he has been holding meetings to instigate chapter presidents to disrespect their own Board members.

More shockingly, Dennis Bowah had in the last two days been calling Board members to join him to oust the chairman and install him as chair of the Board, sources told me. To actualize his alleged sinister plan, Mr. Bowah held a parallel meeting at 7:00pm Central Time yesterday with few Board and non-board members in his quest to legitimize himself.

With him now expelled, South Dakota now has to hurry to replace him so that the chapter is not disenfranchised by the absence of one of its representatives. Sources said the second representative of South Dakota on the Board was one of those who voted “yes” to expel Dennis.

Mr. Dennis Bowah has yet to react to his expulsion. A called placed to him did not get a response. He is yet to return our call.

Meanwhile, the National Board of Directors has elected Mr. Nelson Wright to serve as acting Secretary. When contacted, Mr. Wright confirmed that his colleagues elected him but declined to discuss further details of last night meeting, “Comrade Jerue, the decision will be consummated to the public. For now, I reserve all comments. But I can confirm that I was elected last night to act.”

More details will follow later.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

SEC Releases Final Results In ULAND Polls



Aaron Dinukar - ULAND President-elect
It was conspicuously clear that Aaron Dinukar won the special election of the United Liberian
Association in North Dakota (ULAND). The Special Election Commission, headed by George Massaquoi, declared him winner of the polls last night, September 27, 2014, at 9:45 pm Central Time in West Fargo, North Dakota. The polls were held in the edifice of the Flame of Faith United Methodist Church at 1222 6th St E.

Of the 252 votes cast, Aaron wooed 97, while former ULAND Secretary General Benjamin Boway collected 81 votes and Saywala Kennedy took 62. The election was so far the most populous, most peaceful, most transparent, fairest and freest election ever held in the North Dakota Liberian community.

The last election in 2011 brought together 23 voters, 20 of whom cast their ballots. In that election, Kwame Blah won. He was pitched against his uncle Anthony Wehyee, who did not attend the debate and withdrew, thereby declaring Mr. Blah eventual winner.

Seven Board members were elected in the 2011 election, as opposed to one board member who was the only contestant in the just ended election. Mr. David Reeves won a clear “Yes” votes from the community. Another election of other board members is expected to be put in place by the newly elected Aaron Dinukar administration.

In a statement the Chairman of the Special Election Commission, George Massaquoi said, “ULAND September 27 Special Elections came to a success climax today (yesterday) with 252 community members casting ballots for the candidates of their choice. The event was peaceful and free from rancor. The atmosphere was cordial. There were nine observers from various candidates who certified the results.”

The SEC said, it extends its “thanks and appreciation to all those attended and supported the process…to the candidates and their supporters, a big thanks to the churches, ULAND, the all the commissioners of the SEC.”

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

3 Presidential Candidates Square Up In ULAND Election

Residents of Fargo had the opportunity to hear from three individuals vying for the top spot in the
United Liberian Association in North Dakota (ULAND). The debate was held in the Champion’s Temple in South Fargo on September 20, 2014.
L-R: Presidential candidates Saywala Kennedy, Aaron Dinukar and Benjamin Boway
It was Saywala Kennedy, Aaron Dinukar and Benjamin Boway who are appealing to fellow Liberians to grant them their votes, each claiming the better man to lead the Liberian community to a vibrant height. The debate was well attended and the Special Election Commissioners, headed by George Massaquoi were on hand to police the process.


Saywala Kennedy is an Accountant with the International standard Industries. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accountant Management from the Cuttington University. He hails from Lofa County, but has chosen team members from diverse background.

On his team, Mr. Kennedy was able to bring on board Miss Burnice Wuo for the position of Vice President, Derick Gleah for Secretary General, Wynn Brown for Assistant Secretary and Marvin Korpue for Financial Secretary

According to the manifesto of the campaign committee for the Saywala Kennedy for President, the team espouses the setting up of development and education programs, agriculture and religious committees, as well as strengthen other committees which are already standing committees as enshrined in the ULAND constitution.

“When we are able to do these things we would have solved the problems not only of our neighbors, but the problems of the Liberian Community (Unity, Peace, Transparency, Accountability, Accessibility and Social Justices) and Fargo North Dakota at large; please join us,” says Saywala during the debate quoting from his platform.

Observers say Mr. Kennedy’s main task is the convince residence that although he has just moved into the FargoMoorhead area about seven months ago he can make the difference. Many residents believe he is new to the community. “He is just coming, why he cannot wait for at least one year,” a registered voter said on condition of anonymity.

But Kennedy says it is not about who is new and who is old, “We are all Liberians and the improvement of the community is more important,” he said at his campaign momentum meeting last night. He is the current chairman of the FargoMoorhead Steering Committee on Fight against Ebola

Aaron Dinukar has only form a team of himself and his vice presidential candidate. Massa Massaquoi is articulate and one of the few Liberian women who moved in the FargoMoorhead area and right away engaged in the revamping of the community.

Mr. Dinukar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Liberia. He is currently an assistant supervisor at the Integrity Windows and Doors, where he is said to have recommended at least five Liberians who are currently working with the company.

“I am a family man, I have one wife and my wife has never known a mate,” Aaron told the audience during the debate. “But my administration will do one little thing at a time for us to move forward,” he added.

According to Mr. Dinukar, the establishment of intimate relationships with other Liberian organizations, the creation of support structure in times of joy or needs, identification of projects that will lead to self-sustainability, daycare and community hall are some the immediate projects that his administration would undertake.

His platform is heralding unity: “The objective of the information dissemination plan is to identify and organize the activities to be performed in order to promote unity and keep Liberian informed,” he noted.

Aaron says he wants to pay attention to bereavement and other issues that matter to the people, but creating a system to make the people know what is happening in their community is key.

Some residents say although Aaron Dinukar has stay nearly two years in the community most people are yet to know his thoughts. One old man told our editor, “He never visited me since he came. We don’t even know him.”

Many agree is he has participated in some meetings of the community, but that he is yet to make impact in the community regarding visitation. But one person argued, “Everybody is busy, he took part in the Ebola march and sang for us.”

Benjamin Boway is the third candidate to beseech the Liberian community to give him a chance to get the top spot of the ULAND. He was former secretary of community. Mr. Boway is known for his sports activities in the community. He is referred to in some quarters as the "one man army."

Although he has no platform and he was the only candidate who appeared at the debate with parts of the shirt tail out and part in his pants, Mr. Boway says he is the best of the three to get the top job. Mr. Boway his family lives at Mapleton, but works in Willinston, about six hours drive away from Fargo.

He told the audience of his work in the community, “Probably I have done a lot for the community; probably I have raised funds for the community; probably I will be the best person to run the community and I will work with anybody who wins,” as he rested his elbows on the podium while responding to a question during the debate.

He said he will focus on uniting the community more because he believes the community is divided. Many agreed that the Liberian community is fragile and unity is key to urgently move the community forward. A lady described Ben as "right person" to be the President.

Ben has to convince residents who believe that he is part of the problem that made the community dormant. “He was secretary general, not one day we saw meeting minutes,” one Board member said.

Mr. Boway relies on his Grand Gedean numbers to poll the votes. However, the population dynamics of FargoMoorhead has dramatically changed and the Grand Gedeans are no longer the largest group. He would have to cast his net on the other side of the political divide to woo voters.